Controversy has trailed the appointment of Prof. Nnanyelugo Martin Ike-Muonso as Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council as the staff of the Council says that Prof. Nnanyelugo Martin Ike-Muonso remains the Technical Adviser to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, who hails from the same community with the Minister.
One of the issues is that Chief Uche Nnaji is an economist with no basic experience in raw material acquisition, exploitation, conversion and development.
Looking at the background information on RMRDC. Its primary objective for the establishment of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, as stated in Sections 2 and 3 of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Act, 2022. Section 2 states that the RMRDC is “to develop local raw materials and coordinate research efforts about raw materials acquisition, exploitation, conservation and development”, while Section 3, subsections (a) to (n) includes “undertaking measures to ensure the systematic exploitation, development and utilization of Nigeria’s raw material resources, review raw material resources availability and utilization to advise the Federal Government on strategic implication of depletion, conservation or stock-piling of resources” among a host of other functions.
The above-listed provisions elucidate the sensitive functions of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council and underscore the stringent legal requirements for appointment of its Director-General as provided in Section 9 subsection 2 (b) of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Act, 2022, which stipulates the such a candidate, must be one who “possess at least 18 years post qualification experience in science, engineering and technology subjects with vast cognate experience in raw materials acquisition, exploitation, conservation and development”.
Furthermore, the critical and central role of an agency like the RMRDC is equally aptly captured in Section 16 (1) (a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which states that: “The State shall, within the context of the ideals and objectives for which provisions are made in this constitution
(a) harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, dynamic and self-reliant economy;
(b) control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen based on social justice and equality of status and prosperity”.
Now, the facts about the newly appointed Director General is that Prof. Nnanyelugo Martin Ike-Muonso who was appointed/imposed as Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council has been and remains the Technical Adviser to the Hon. Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, hails from the same community with the Minister, Chief Uche Nnaji and is an economist with no basic experience in raw material acquisition, exploitation, conversion and development.
He has no record of experience in public service of the Federation and hence could not be properly appointed as Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council.
Prof. Nnanyelugo Martin Ike-Muonso graduated from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University in 1992 with a BSc in Economics; obtained his MSc degree in Economics from the same university in 1996 and has, from his public records spent most of his working life in the area of investment banking, economic development and strategic focused consulting in new business development and management training in business environment.
Those who are familiar with the Council gave some reasons why an unqualified person should not head a critical agency at this material time in Nigeria such as the qualifications which are been circulated about the newly appointed Director-General seem to be a deliberate attempt to present him as a scientist and a professor engaged in the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) whereas there are no records of him from the Nigerian Professors Register of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) or the staff list of the Enugu State University (ESUT), just as there are no publications in any academic journal in his name;
b) It is also our view that this appointment which is carried out without observance of statutory provisions and the administrative infractions complained of, is the outcome of a desperate move to stultify, shield and stop the Ag. Director General who upon assumption of office had set up several steps to review the operations of the agency and alleged mismanagement of public funds, which would call maladministration for your excellency’s intervention to forestall such further abuses.
c) In light of the above, it is our view that this wrongful appointment/imposition of an economist with no experience in raw material acquisition, exploitation conversion and development to head a critical agency like the RMRDC at this material time, could and will indeed impact the Agency’s productivity and staff morale, more so with the abrupt removal of the highly respected Ag. Director-General who is a consummate scientist and equipment design engineer with numerous patents developed over his thirty-one years of service in the council.
The Council staff are calling on President Bola Tinubu to have the courage to do the right thing once again just as he did in the case of Chukwuemeka Woke whose appointment on the 9th of May, 2024 as the managing director of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority was met with stiff opposition from Nigerians because he is not from the South West region.
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